Some additional details in response to some questions I have received.

Yes, both days are for fighting. Yes the fighting will be in Los Angeles.

There will be a guest fighter with an interesting three section staff game.

I would like to encourage fighters to consider fighting Stick y Daga with the dage being a substantial aluminum blade. The idea here is to develop skill sets that discourage bum rushes into messy grapples.

Concerning my seminar in Israel the week before. Assuming I am not whacked by Al Quaeda, Hamas, or Hezbollah, while I am in Israel, there should be no problem

Concerning my seminar in Israel the week before. Assuming I am not whacked by Al Quaeda, Hamas, or Hezbollah, while I am in Israel, there should be no problem

"Higher Consciousness through harder contact!" (c DBI)Crafty DogGF

Have a safe trip Guro. I wish that I was fighting too. I love what you have built. I know that sometimes I'm controversial, but meeting you all was and is the best thing that ever happened to me. In any event, as I've stated, have a safe trip. God Speed.

Make the best out of it DOGS!!!! for one day I'll be there. Good luck to all.

@GC,

Maybe I should call you but not into secrets. I respectfully request Kajukenbo Sifu J. Cordova to accompany me as a guest fighter and as I see a future Dog Brother to this Tribal Gathering. May I have your blessing for this invite. JCordova fought honorably at the last public gathering and also works as a US Marshal.

I would like to encourage fighters to consider fighting Stick y Daga with the dage being a substantial aluminum blade. The idea here is to develop skill sets that discourage bum rushes into messy..."

Crafty: could u elaborate on ideas you have that would discourage "rushes into grappling". If I understand u correctly you are connecting the weapon with discouraging that. Assuming I understand your thinking can u explain how this would discourage such tactic? Also would u help me understand why u would want to discourage this or are you saying that we need to develop better responses to "bum rushes ending in grappling"?

I would like to encourage fighters to consider fighting Stick y Daga with the dage being a substantial aluminum blade. The idea here is to develop skill sets that discourage bum rushes into messy..."

Crafty: could u elaborate on ideas you have that would discourage "rushes into grappling". If I understand u correctly you are connecting the weapon with discouraging that. Assuming I understand your thinking can u explain how this would discourage such tactic? Also would u help me understand why u would want to discourage this or are you saying that we need to develop better responses to "bum rushes ending in grappling"?

There has always been a propensity during the fights with knives to do things one would probably not do if the blades were real. Using shocknives, cattle-prods and large heavy aluminium trainers amongst other weapons, is one way to add a bit more realism by virtue of not wanting to be hit due to the very real possibilities of pain and/or physical damage.

When the weapon is treated as just another blunt object there seems to be a lot more close quarters striking, clinching and grappling with less emphasis placed on what damage a live blade would be doing and addressing that problem appropriately. The end result is typically a mess with both participants "dying multiple messy deaths".

This is what Guru Crafty appears to be referring to in the quoted text.

As an aside, there probably is a lot to be said also about learning to mitigate "bum rushes ending in grappling" with edged weapons. For that context DLO is the key. So in a way, you might be right on both accounts.

BTW - I don't recommend cattle-prods... they tend to scar.

Afterthought;

In addition to using weapons as mentioned it's helpful to talk to your opponent to re-iterate that you both want to treat the blades as live blades whether just daga versus daga or espada y daga versus xyz. Bitch Linda and I used little folder trainers in a Gathering once but treated them as very real sharp blades. It made for a very tactical and fun fight. There was no pain compliance with the little knives, just an equal understanding on reality. That may be helpful as well and that will be easy to set up in a closed Gathering with people who truly get it. Have fun!

I think the introduction of the heavy aluminum trainers has added to the fights at the gathering immensely. I'm not sure when they first came out, maybe it was at the corral, but I found they definitely changed the tempo and characteristics of the fight. I love to grapple and last time I fought with the trainers I didn't so much as clinch.

Greetings all, I am new to this message board. I have been studying FMA since 2000. I have been fortunate enough to train with Guro Dan Inosanto, Ajarn Chai, and Erik Paulson. I began and continue my training at the Trident Academy of Martial Arts in Woodbridge Va, where i focus mainly on FMA and Thai boxing. Guro Crafty, you know my instructor well. I have seen him in a few of your videos . I have been interested in doing a Gathering for many years but feel I am now in a position (work, finances, etc.) to make the trip out to California for one. I had read on the website that the first weekend in May is an open gathering, however, if I am following along correctly, this one appears to be a closed affair. If it is a closed gathering, when is the next open gathering? I really look forward to coming out and meeting you guys and testing myself. I hope this message finds you all well, and I look forward to more discussions. Thanks for your time.

Dinger: Welcome to the board. Although some personal issues may prevent me from fighting this September, I plan on, at the least, standing with the Tribe and I look forward to witnessing your first fights at a Gathering. C-Growling Dog has said that a person steps on the mat at their first Gathering as one person and they step off the mat another one. I've never met a fighter who disagrees with that assertion. September will be here before you know it!!

Dinger: Welcome to the board. Although some personal issues may prevent me from fighting this September, I plan on, at the least, standing with the Tribe and I look forward to witnessing your first fights at a Gathering. C-Growling Dog has said that a person steps on the mat at their first Gathering as one person and they step off the mat another one. I've never met a fighter who disagrees with that assertion. September will be here before you know it!!

It changed me. My life will never be the same. That's all I've got to say about that.

Thanks for the welcome. I really look forward to it and cant wait. This has been a goal for a long time. I have heard lots of great things about Guru Crafty and cant wait to meet him and the rest of the Tribe. Any pointers for a first timer?

I would like to use a three sectional Staff and a Long Staff as weapons for the Gathering. If anybody is interested to fight against those weapons please let me know

I've taken an interest in the health benefits of the short staff and hope to take you up on a future staff fight but will humbly resist your temptation until I find my comfort zone with the added length and weight.

Location: Will be about ten minutes from the usual location. I think everyone will be very pleased. Tomorrow (remember "tomorrow" means "not today") I will get the URL of the location so I can send it to all concerned. Also, we are looking at caravaning from the park.